In today's #dailysoup, let's go back to the SCS dispute as I'll introduce a disputed oil-abundant reef complex, the Luconia Shoal.
It is known for being a hotspot of maritime disputes between Malaysia, China, and Vietnam.
1/20
Malaysia's maritime EEZ, just located beside the western shores of Sarawak and Sabah, is overlapped by the EEZs of the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, and China.
This houses precious oil fields, as well as the Luconia and the James Shoals.
2/20
The Luconia Shoal is located near the Kasawari Gas Field, which was discovered in November 2011. It appears to contain three trillion cubic feet of gas resrouces, now being operated by Malaysian oil company, Petronas.
3/20
Malaysia has been a major producer of oil and natural gas. In 2019, the country became the world's third largest natural gas producer and 26th largest crude oil producer.
However, the oil-abundant Luconia Shoal has been embroiled in disputes with China and Vietnam.
4/20
During the early 2010s, the Malaysian government adopted a "playing it safe" policy, in which it would adapt a "silent" approach towards China, aiming to "maintain a special relationship with Beijing".
Although Malaysia continued to assert its SCS claims, Kuala Lumpur...
5/20
...would stay silent on confrontational episodes with China in the SCS, claiming that it would "rather deal with China behind the scenes" and "avoid confronting China", making it appear as if Kuala Lumpur was "accommodating to China".
6/20
While CCG vessels loitered the Luconia Shoals, especially a 1,000-ton Chinese Coast Guard vessel that loitered the area from 2013-15, the Najib Razak premiership remained silent.
It was in 2015 when the vessel caught KL's attention after aerial photos were posted.
7/20
In June 2015, a Malaysian politician, Shahidan Kassim, publicly expressed concerns after a CCG ship was discovered loitering in Beting Patinggi Ali, a part of M'sian maritime territory, for 2 years.
That's too late of a response from the Najib gov't, which is sus.
8/20
What Kuala Lumpur failed to notice during that time was that another larger Chinese vessel, the CCG 3401, was loitering at the Luconia Breakers, an area located south of the James Shoals known for housing a major passing for Malaysian marine natural gas.
9/20
Notice that CCG 3401 was the same Chinese vessel used in illegally claiming the Scarborough Shoal, as well as in blocking Filipino vessels during the March 2014 Ayungin Shoal Incident.
While Malaysian vessels continued to increase the number of patrol vessels in the Luconia Shoal, several types of Chinese Coast Guard patrol vessels, including the Haijing and Shucha II-class vessels, continue to loiter around the area during the late 2010s.
11/20
Meanwhile, in 2018, Malaysian vessel Java Imperia, patrolling Malaysian maritime territory off the coast of Sarawak, was harassed by no other than...CCG 3401!
12/20
Plus, CCG 3401 harassed two other Malaysian vessels, namely the KD Kelantan and the Dayang Sari, which are trying to protect Malaysian maritime territory.
13/20
In 2020, Chinese vessel Haiyang Dizhi 8 and a couple of other Chinese vessels were involved with a standoff with the West Capella, a ship hired by Malaysian oil company Petronas.
Then, several US vessels and one Australian vessel came to intervene on Malaysia's behalf.
14/20
However, even during the 2020 West Capella standoff, Kuala Lumpur kept its "playing safe" policy towards China.
When the incident happened, KL stayed silent, and then several days later, Malaysia's Foreign Minister finally issued a statement on the incident.
15/20
However, the statement of the Malaysian Foreign Minister failed to counter China's claims in Malaysian SCS territory.
He failed to specify which Chinese vessels perpetrated the incident, denying that they are illegally loitering in Malaysian maritime territory.
16/20
Plus, the Malaysian FM's statements, although they clarified Malaysia's approach towards the SCS, failed to condemn China's illegal actions in the SCS.
17/20
In 2021, 16 Chinese military aircraft illegally entered Malaysian maritime territory in the SCS, prompting Malaysian fighter planes to intercept these Chinese aircraft.
Although public reaction to the incident was strong for a short while, KL kept its silent approach.
18/20
Although KL stated that the SCS issue should be resolved, the current premiership of Anwar Ibrahim stated that it would "maintain open communication with China".
To make things worse, Ibrahim considered "oil x gas joint exploration with China in the SCS".
19/20
Besides China, Malaysia also has maritime disputes with Vietnam in the SCS.
I will expound on this in a future entry to avoid too much information.
In today's #dailysoup, I'll introduce Indonesian writer, academic, and political analyst, Simon Saragih.
He's best known for being one of the so-called Indonesian "academics" tagged by @RadityoDharmaP as "those showing pro-Russia views".
1/19
During the 1990s and the 2000s, Saragih served in various positions, including field journalist, international desk editor, and as a member of the research and development department of notable Indonesian media outlet Kompas.
He is now serving as a senior journalist.
2/19
Saragih is also an author of biographies of a Dutch seminary teacher, a Dutch missionary, an Indonesian composer, as well as the biographies of Putin and Obama.
Meanwhile, he is also known for articles containing pro-CCP and pro-Russia peepotalking.
In today's #dailysoup, I'll introduce a Singaporean geopolitics x defence blog, Defense Politics Asia and its managing editor, Wyatt Mingji Lim.
They are known for excelling in mental gymnastics and anti-West x pro-Russia peepotalking.
1/27
Defense Politics Asia, based in Singapore, is founded by Wyatt Mingji Lim and an unspecified "partner" in 2017. He is serving as its "managing editor" since then.
Before I discuss about Defense Politics Asia, let's briefly tackle Wyatt's background.
2/27
During much of the 2000s, Wyatt served in the Singaporean Armed Forces, with his last military rank being a "First Sergeant".
Hence, he said in an interview that he is "just interested in geopolitics and military stuff".
In today's #dailysoup, I'll introduce an Indonesia-based Chinese-American podcaster, soc-med influencer, and historical revisionist, Carl Zha (@CarlZha).
He's known for his "Silk and Steel" podcast, as well as his anti-West, pro-CCP, and pro-Russia peepotalking remarks.
1/27
Zha was born in Chongqing, China, which he labelled as his hometown. Sometime during his adulthood, he spent some time in the United States, especially to study engineering at Caltech, but he eventually returned to China afterwards.
2/27
After spending some time in China, Zha married an Indonesian woman from Bali named Anindita (@BaliEarthSoul) in October 2020. Since then, Zha became a Chinese-American based in Bali, Indonesia.
In today's #dailysoup, I'll introduce Indonesian journalist and academic, Smith Alhadar.
He's best known for being a so-called "expert academic" spreading anti-West and pro-Russia peepotalking remarks.
1/19
Alhadar serves as a journalist x professional at an NGO named "Indonesian Society for Middle East Studies".
Moreover, the profiles of Alhadar claim that he is also an executive director of a think-tank called "Institute of Democracy and Education Indonesia".
2/19
Despite claims in Alhadar's profiles pointing to his position as "executive director of IDE Indonesia", I didn't see his name in the list of executive board members in IDE Indonesia's website.
In today's #dailysoup, I'll introduce Malaysian political analyst, activist, and NGO head, Chandra Muzaffar.
He's best known for heading Just International (@justworldtweets), which is flooded with blatant anti-West, pro-Russia, and pro-China peepotalking remarks.
1/23
Chandra's daughter, Samirah Muzaffar, was charged in 2019 for the "murder of Nazrin Hassan, the CEO of a Malaysian company, Cradle Fund". Three years later, in 2022, Samirah was acquitted of the murder charges.
2/23
Before his career in handling Just International, Chandra became one of the founders of "Aliran Kesedaran Negara", a multiethnic reform group in Malaysia established in 1977 aiming to address ethnic and democratic issues among Malaysians.
In today's #dailysoup, I'll introduce a former Philippine president and current deputy speaker, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
She's known for being involved in a couple of blatant corruption scandals, political instability, and China-shilling deals.
1/28
Arroyo is the daughter of another former Philippine president, Diosdado Macapagal.
Before entering politics, she took an economics degree at Georgetown University, where she was classmates with Bill Clinton. She also served as an economics prof at the Ateneo.
2/28
In the 1990s, Arroyo ran as a senator. She became a vice president under the administration of Joseph Estrada, which was cut short cuz of a revolution in the early 2000s caused by a gambling-related corruption scandal.